New here guy with a 500.00 project tacoma

New guy here from Baltimore with a 2004 tacoma 4x4 with 147k miles that i recently purchased as a project for 500.00. The PO had the truck towed to my work because it stopped running. He had a oil leak and instead of having the leak diagnosed he just kept driving and adding oil, well he ran it low and seized the camshafts which then broke the timing belt. He decided not to repair the truck and offered it to me for 500.00! After waiting patiently for 2 weeks he finally received the lien release [he lost the original] and i happily handed over the cash. Last night i pushed it into the shop and found that the oil filter was loose and causing the leak, if he would have just had the leak checked out he could have saved his engine. My plan is to re-do the top end and keep my fingers crossed that the bottom end somehow survived. I'm not new to toyota trucks, roughly 8 months ago i purchased a 00 4runner 4x4 with 168k miles from another customer with a leaking wp, i replaced the wp, timing belt and performed the tundra fr. brake upgrade and so far it has performed great. Sorry for the long thread, Thanks.

 

That's a good deal. The last owner just had to check the filter.. wow.. And welcome!

 

Welcome to TW.

Enjoy your new project.

 

Hello from CO and have fun building your toy! Anxious to see the end result. Nice price

 

Welcome!

 

Very cool, can't go wrong with that truck at that price! Welcome.

 

Wow, what a deal! Let us know what you find in there.

 

Score!

 

Wow that guy was a total moron to sell that for $500.

I bet you could flip it as is for 2k.

 

Thanks for the welcomes! Highlux when he told me 500.00 i was shocked, it was like chinese torture waiting the 2 weeks for him to get that replacement lien release, especially since the truck was sitting at my work and i walked by it everyday. I did have to spend 3 hours after work cleaning the interior, it was filthly, but i did find $15 in bills and $33 in change! The fr. rims were completely covered in brake dust, but surprisingly they cleaned up nice, so it looks alot nicer now then it did when i purchased it. My co-worker was making jokes that i was cleaning a non running truck, but it was so dirty it was embarrassing.

 

Wow, a hell of a deal- even better than the deal I got on mine. ($250 for a 96 with a blown head) You definitely got a steal- can't go wrong with that one!
Anyways, welcome to TW! Let us know how things go with the truck!

 

I'd give you $500 for it right now.

 

What are you doing to the truck? Are you just going to repair it or are you going to build it up?

 

I would pull that engine and just get a low mileage replacement. You can get them for under $1500 and you could flip that truck for north of $13k easily.

 

This. But heck, if you like the truck enough, fix it up and keep 'er! You saved thousands for mods anyway

 

My plans are to get it running, i'm reading threads here to determine what lift i want then some black beadlock rims with some aggresive tires, but before i get ahead of myself I'm hoping i can get it up and running with just repairing the top end. I plan on tearing the heads off this week and sending them out to the machine shop. The other night i had it on the lift and the undercarriage looks good, no major rust. Brake lines and fuel filter/fuel lines look real nice. The frame looks good too, just some minor surface rust here and there. Thanks for the replies.

 

I plan on keeping it, but my wife says i already have too many vehicles. I told my wife that i needed a pu, but then she said i told her that when i bought my 70 elcamino, lol.

 

I still have this tacoma and man do i love this truck. Made some upgrades over the past 3 years.

 

That's awesome! Glad to know you got it on the road. It looks great!

 

Nice. What did you end up doing to the engine?